Nigeria’s Super Eagles have opened camp in Akwa Ibom ahead of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, with the team scheduled to hold its first training session on Tuesday, September 22, in Ikot Ekpene.

Head coach Eric Chelle and members of his technical crew arrived ahead of the players as the Super Eagles began assembling at their base for the opening two Group D qualifying fixtures against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau. 

Nigeria will host Madagascar on Friday, September 25, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo in their opening qualifying assignment, before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau four days later.

The Barea of Madagascar have also arrived in Nigeria, with the visitors touching down on Monday as they step up preparations for the encounter in Uyo. 

Chelle initially named a 24-man squad for the two qualifiers, but captain and key striker Victor Osimhen has been ruled out after sustaining a muscle injury. Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi has subsequently been called up as his replacement. 

Despite Osimhen’s absence, Chelle still has several attacking options available, including Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Akor Adams and Tolu Arokodare.

The squad also features first senior invitations for goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, defender Isaac James and forward George Ilenikhena, while Stanley Nwabali and Ola Aina return to the national team setup. 

Tuesday’s opening training session will provide Chelle with the first opportunity to work with the assembled players as he begins preparations for the Madagascar encounter.

The opening 15 minutes of the session will be made available to members of the media, while selected players are expected to participate in exclusive media interviews at the team’s base on Wednesday. 

With the qualifying campaign beginning at home, Chelle will have a limited period to work on tactical organisation, attacking combinations, defensive coordination and set-piece situations before Friday’s fixture.

The Super Eagles are seeking a strong start to their campaign after being drawn to face Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau in their opening two matches.

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, with Nigeria aiming to secure an early advantage in the qualifying race.

The immediate task for Chelle is to integrate the available players, assess their fitness and develop a tactical plan capable of delivering a positive opening result against Madagascar.